Take Me Out Of Here
by AllenWalkerfan15
Summary: Tifa has just become a member of an underground group called Deliverance, who's unelected leader is Cloud Strife. Tifa prevers to work alone and often takes dangerous missions without Cloud's approval. What will this lead to?
1. Chapter 1

_I own nothing!_

_I don't claim to be the best at action or romance or any of that stuff, but I will do my best hehehe :D _

_Enjoy! Please comment and rate!_

_Note: I'm blocked on ideas now, so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know! Reviews would be great!_

Chapter 1

The darkness was thick, impenetrable, suffocating the woman like a cloak. She sat quietly in the inky blackness, radiating calm, patient. The window above her head was barred and shuttered from the outside and, she knew without a doubt, heavily locked. Her captors had carefully sealed off every little loophole to keep her there, nice and compliant, a delicious treat. The woman had remained serene and silent, not even bothering to formulate an escape plan, but instead resigned herself to wait until the opportune moment presented itself. Of course, she easily could have blasted her way out, but they had stripped her of her clothes and her black leather gloves, her only weapon, and given her a skimpy outfit not unlike the ones she had seen the other girls wear in the slums of Sector 7. She had expected this.  
>After all, she had come here on her own free will, allowed herself to be captured.<p>

She shifted in the darkness and winced. Of course she had known what it meant to come to a place like this, but the knowledge hadn't made it any more bearable. She had become a favorite for nearly all of the perverse, foul bastards that ran this place, and that in itself was both damning and fortunate. Fortunate because she was able to count how many of them there were in the building. Damning because they loved to "play" with her. And none too gently. Her body ached in places that should never have to ache. Well, at least for the wrong reasons. They had desecrated her, ravaged her in ways that made her sick to her stomach simply by remembering. But it would all be worth it if she succeeded. Failure was not an option, for the other girls trapped there or for her.

Her deadline was that evening, where the only person to whom she had confided her plans would be waiting for her at the nearby train station. If the woman failed to show, they would tell the others and come get her themselves. Maybe that would be best. But she had pride, and she resolved to do this herself. If the others ever found out…she didn't want to think about their reactions.

It was time to act. One of them would be coming soon, she knew…

The door to her room- or rather cell- opened. Perfect. For once, she was glad to see one of the dirty bastards. She forced herself to remain calm as the man's face broke into a leering grin. He didn't even bother to conceal his obvious lust.

"Hey there, gorgeous." The woman involuntarily shivered at the words. The man noticed this, and the sick smile grew wider as he exhaled a stream of smoke from a drag of his cigarette. "I'll bet you missed me, didn't you?" The woman lowered her long eyelashes demurely as he ground out the cigarette with his boot. She played the part of the broken, subdued girl well, barely moving or displaying any emotion on her face as the man began to undress. When he reached his pants, however, he stopped and fixed her with that awful smile.

"How about you take these off for me, sugar?"

She knew he would ask. She got to her feet and slowly approached him, taking extra care to sway her hips. When she was less than a few inches away, she lowered her head as if to crouch down, then brought her knee up directly into his groin. Hard.

"You bitch!" He doubled over with a cry of agony. The woman almost felt sorry for him as she raised her knee again, this time connecting with his face. There was a sickening crunch and a spurt of blood- wonderful. She had broken his nose. She swung her leg around in a swift roundhouse kick and sent him sprawling across the room to rest in a tangled heap.

"One down, seven to go," she said to herself. She bent down to unhook the key ring from the man's belt loop and crept quietly from the room, pausing only to check the hallway for any others.

The first room was diagonal to hers. She went through three of the keys and finally unlocked the door with the fourth. As she pushed it open slowly the girl inside began to sob, and the pitiful, broken sound stabbed at the woman's heart. She had to get these girls out of here.

"Shh," she said as she approached the weeping girl. She barely looked more than seventeen. She stopped crying when she realized it wasn't one of the men and stared at the woman with glistening blue eyes. "I'm going to get you out of here. Come with me."

The girl began to weep again. "Thank you, oh, thank you so much!"

_Such a pretty thing_, the woman thought as she helped the girl to her feet. _She doesn't deserve this. None of them do. _"Be very quiet, and let me handle the others," she whispered aloud. The girl nodded, her blue eyes wide with fear. Keeping a firm grip on her hand, the woman led her out of the room.

As the two approached the end of the hall, they heard a pair of voices from around the corner. "Wait here," the older woman breathed to the younger, who nodded and pressed herself against the wall. The woman waited until the voices were closer, then rounded the corner and sprang at them with the quickness of a panther.

"What the-?" one of the men exclaimed. The woman kicked her leg high into his jaw and drove her elbow into the gut of the other. The first one went down instantly. The other received a sharp kick to the head, and he joined his companion on the floor. Once again she took the girl's hand and continued on down the hallway. The girl gazed at her with an awed expression but thankfully remained silent.

The next hallway contained two more rooms. They had obviously just been vacated by the two men now unconscious on the ground, for the girls inside the rooms were practically naked and weeping. Quickly they threw on their clothes and formed a chain behind her with their hands tightly linked together. Upon opening the fourth room, the woman actually caught one of the men in the act of tearing the clothes of the sobbing girl beneath him. A red haze fell over the woman's eyes; with gritted teeth she grabbed the man by the waistband of his pants and literally threw him against the nearest wall. She grabbed a handful of his hair and slammed his head against the floor. He blacked out almost instantly.

She turned to the shivering brunette on the ground. "Are you all right?" When the girl nodded, the woman said, "Get dressed, quickly. I'm getting you out of here."

The girl hurried to comply. Soon she too was linked to the others and racing down another hallway, where the woman dispatched two more men with ease, grabbing them by the hair and cracking their heads together. Three more girls joined, one of whom said, "There's four more. One of them is my sister- please help her, please!"

"It's all right," the woman said soothingly. "I'm getting you all out of this place. Don't worry." A calming aura seemed to radiate from her, and the girls found themselves instantly reassured. With this woman, they would be safe.

The remaining four girls, she deduced, were on the second floor. She corralled the seven she had released behind her, hands linked together like the cars of a train, and raced up the stairs to the next level of the building. The remaining two men, to her horror, were leaving the same room, laughing disgustingly. Their backs were to her as they walked away.

"I love it when they scream," one of them chortled.

"God, the tits on her," the other said wetly. "I could take that piece of ass all night."

The woman shot forward through the haze of red and slammed them both against the wall, one hand around each of their throats. Reminding herself that she wasn't here to kill, she jabbed her thumbs into the soft flesh beneath their jaws and let them drop limply to the floor. Then she raced to the the room and quickly unlocked it. The poor girl was lying motionless on the ground, completely naked. Her skin was patterned with ugly bruises. A pulse beat beneath the woman's fingers, making her almost sob with relief, and she quickly clothed her and carried her out to the others. They instantly made to revive her while the woman retrieved the final three girls. The last one looked no older than 15- she threw herself at the girl who had exclaimed about her sister, both sobbing with relief.

The woman slumped against the wall, suddenly dizzy; she could not remember the last time she had eaten a decent meal. But none of that mattered now. She had freed the girls. She had succeeded. Now, at last, she could get out of this hellhole and go home.

"All right," she said to the eleven girls gazing at her with gratitude and awe. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting the hell out of this getup." She plucked at her skimpy outfit with distaste.

"They have our things in the downstairs office," said a cute redhead with luminous green eyes. She bowed her head with a shameful expression. "They…brought me down there once, and I saw them."

The woman squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Then let's go get them and get the hell out of here."

The redhead led the way back downstairs and stopped at a door near the entrance. None of the keys would unlock it, so the woman did the only thing she could. She busted it down with a single kick from her bare foot. Ah. She never got tired of that, even though it did sting a bit.

"Holy shit," said a tall blonde. The woman smiled.

As the redhead had promised, all of their belongings were piled on a table near a large window covered with heavy black drapes. The girls quickly stripped and put on their own clothes, some of them weeping with joy. The woman could only imagine how long some of them had been there. Miraculously, none of them were pregnant. Apparently the men who ran this place didn't want kids on their hands.

The woman pulled on her normal clothes and slipped on her black leather gloves with a sigh of contented relief. She never went anywhere without them: they were like a security blanket to her. To anyone else the thought would seem ludicrous- they were just leather gloves. But she knew better. She flexed her fingers a few times, then turned to the girls. They all bore signs of abuse: bruises of every shape and color; swollen lips and bloodied fingers and nails from desperate attempts to fight; even a black eye or two.

"What are your names?" asked the woman.

The redhead answered first. "Clarissa."

"Tanya," said the apparent youngest.

"Corinne," the tall, willowy blonde said. Her eyes were a gleaming violet color.

"Marisol," said Tanya's sister.

Down the line they went. The one who had been found unconscious was Meline. Riza was the stunning brunette who the woman had thrown the man off of. The first girl rescued was Rose, the two after her were Danza and Lillian, and the two before Tanya were Keslynn and Selene.

"And who are you?" asked Lillian, sweeping back her long black hair. "Why did you save us?"

The woman was silent for awhile. Then she smiled slightly and said, "A few years ago I came to a place like this for something I believed in. It was a terrible, disgusting place, but I survived. And now you will too. Everyone deserves freedom." She looked at each of them, the survivors of cruel, brutal behavior, and wondered if they had realized that she had not told them her name. Ah, well. Maybe it was best that they didn't know.

After a tear-filled goodbye with the girls, the woman set off for the train station just as dawn began to break. Her stomach growled loudly. Food had to wait- she would eat on the train perhaps. While she walked she imagined the happy reunions the girls would surely receive when they went home to their families and loved ones. Riza, Clarissa and Keslynn had mentioned boyfriends, and Meline said she was married. The woman had hugged them each goodbye and wished them well. All of them told her that they would never forget her. At this her eyes had burned, but she did not cry. She hadn't cried in a long time.

A few hours passed- she didn't know how many, nor did she care- and finally she arrived at the train station. It was empty except for a few early morning workers and a person who immediately noticed her approaching and started jumping up and down, waving her arms frantically.

"I's about damn time!" yelled Yuffie Kisaragi. "You had me worried sick, you know." Her dark eyes narrowed as she inspected the woman. "You don't look too good," she observed, brow furrowed.

The woman collapsed onto the bench with a soft, exhausted groan. Yuffie immediately sat beside her. "What's wrong?" she demanded. A strange feeling was already churning in her stomach, and it was confirmed when she saw the bruises on the woman's exposed arms and calves. Damn it all to hell. She knew she shouldn't have let her go to that place.

"Yufiie," said the woman in a soft voice. "I need you to promise me something."

The young ninja looked into the mahogany eyes of Tifa Lockheart with a stony expression. "Yeah?"

"Don't tell Cloud."


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for all of the reviews! I have some really good ideas now! _

Chapter 2

"So how was your trip?" asked Aerith.

Tifa shrugged. "Oh, fine…Pretty boring, actually."

Aerith's eyes narrowed. "You're not telling me something," she stated.

"What are you talking about?" Tifa averted her gaze, suddenly engrossed with her nails.

"Tifa, you've never been good at lying. What are you not telling me? And where did you get those bruises?"

Tifa swallowed hard. She couldn't tell Aerith, she _couldn't_…It wasn't allowed…

VVVVV

"You did _what?_"

"Aerith, please, you can't tell anyone!" Tifa begged.

Aerith Gainsborough folded her arms. "How could you keep something like this from me? How long has this been going on?"

Tifa lowered her eyes, ashamed. Aerith sighed and said in a slightly softer voice, "All right. I won't tell. Obviously if you're doing something like this, you must know what you're doing."

Tifa sagged with relief. "Thank you," she said. She hadn't expected Aerith to take it so well. After all, it wasn't every day that you're best friend confesses that she's working in an underground gang.

"But you're coming with me to the hospital for a check-up," said Aerith.

"_What_?" Tifa recoiled. "No way!"

"Tifa, for all you know you could be pregnant or have some disease," Aerith said, exasperated.

"I'm not going," Tifa said firmly. "And if it's of any consolation, I started my period three hours ago."

Aerith did not look consoled. "Fine. If you don't want to go, then at least let me check you over myself."

"Okay."

"Good. Now strip."

Tifa grinned slyly at her best friend. "Feeling a little kinky today, hmm?" she said, sitting down on her bed.

Aerith rolled her emerald green eyes as Tifa undressed down to her bra and panties. "What am I going to do with you?" she sighed softly, staring at the bruises covering Tifa's skin. The inner parts of her thighs were by far the worst. Aerith could clearly see the circular bruises made by fingers on them, as well as on her upper arms.

"Oh, Tifa." Her eyes filled with tears as she leaned down to hug her. "It must have been awful."

Tifa just shrugged. "Aerith composed herself and moved away. Her long, slender fingers began probing Tifa's arms, then her legs, stomach, shoulders, and back, the latter of which bore a series of nasty scratches and scrapes. To those she applied a tan, semi-transparent cream to prevent infection, then small bandages.

"There," she said. "Other than the obvious, you seem fine."

"Thanks, Nurse," Tifa smiled. Aerith worked as a nurse part-time at the nearby hospital, and also as a florist. She had a large love of flowers, and Tifa made a mental note to pick her up some the next time Aerith went to the hospital for work.

She threw on a black tank top and a pair of pajama shorts while Aerith went downstairs to make dinner. For awhile she just sat on the edge of her bed, gazing out the window.

"By the way," Aerith called up the stairs. "I phoned the bar and told them you were sick. You go back tomorrow."

Tifa grinned. A night free of drunken fights, gropings, and raucous noise was just what she needed. "I love you!" she yelled back. She loved the 7th Heaven, but a break was great every once in awhile.

After an absolutely delicious dinner of spaghetti (Aerith was a superb cook), Aerith and Tifa curled up on the couch with a large bowl of popcorn. Aerith had reluctantly agreed to watch one of Tifa's many horror films. She clutched a pillow tightly to her chest while Tifa leaned forward with rapt attention, uttering little squeals and covering her eyes much to Tifa's amusement.

"I'm going to have nightmares," Aerith complained as they walked up the stairs to bed.

Tifa snorted. "Oh, relax. Night, roomie." They hugged, then went off to their bedrooms. And that's when Tifa had her own nightmares. She lay awake shivering after each one, afraid to close her eyes. Cruel faces, groping fingers, leering, grotesque smiles. Over and over she relived the memories until she finally curled up into a ball and sank into an exhausted sleep far beyond the terrible visions.

VVVVV

"Tifa, I'm off to the hospital!"

She barely heard the words through her groggy haze. "All right," she croaked. "Have a good day."

"You, too. I'll be back around three."

Dimly Tifa heard Aerith's light footsteps recede. Tifa swore Aerith walked on what she called "fairy feet." Not only were the extraordinarily tiny, but they hardly made any noise no matter what surface they stepped upon.

With a heavy sigh Tifa got out of bed, staggering from the head rush that greeted her, and pulled on a pair of blue skinny jeans and a purple tank top. She couldn't believe how tired she was. She downed the steaming cup of coffee Aerith had made for her as usual, and that woke her up a bit more.

Her thoughts drifted off to the eleven girls. She could still remember all of their names, recall their faces with clarity. She wondered how they were doing, and if they too were having terrible nightmares. In her mind's eye she saw young Tanya, plagued by the horrible visions. Suddenly her phone rang, loud and demanding, and she hurriedly fumbled to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Good morning!" chirped Yuffie. "How do you feel?"

"Tired as hell." Tifa yawned.

"It always happens after the first mission," Yuffie said with understanding. "Did you tell Aerith?"

Shit. "Yes," Tifa admitted.

"I figured as much. Let me guess: she wanted to drag you off to the hospital?"

"Only of course," grinned Tifa, relieved that she wasn't in trouble. Then she said wryly, "It looks like a toddler got carried away with his paints and used me for a canvas."

Yuffie was not amused. "Are you sure you want to do this, Teef?"

"Of course I do!" Tifa replied instantly. "Are there any more missions for me?"

"Not yet- they normally give you a break after the first one.I'll keep you posted. I didn't tell Cloud, just like you asked, so don't worry about that. The other girls are keeping quiet."

"Thank you." She didn't want to think about Cloud's reaction. He had not approved of that mission, let alone wanted it carried out solo. Her ass would be busted if he ever found out. But if the time came that he did, she would make it quite clear that their views were not as alike as he may want. "Call me when you got something."

"Will do. Stay outta trouble, ya hear?"

"As always."

She pocketed her phone an found herself toying with her black leather gloves, slipping them on and off repeatedly. After awhile she grew restless. She had to get up, move, do _something_. She shoved her feet into a pair of black gladiator sandals, grabbed her keys, and headed out to her car. The black Volvo sprang to life; the sound of the engine was music to her ears. It had been too long since she had driven it. She backed out of the driveway and onto the street. Oddly enough, she found herself driving in the direction of the police station and grinned. Barret would be glad to see her, she was sure.

When Tifa entered the station, she was greetd by a black-and-white cat wearing a yellow crown.

"Good morning, Ree- er, Cait Sith," she said with amusement.

"Good morning, Miss Lockheart," the robot cat responded.

"May I see Barret, please? And for the last time, it's Tifa."

"Of course. Right this way." The cat led her to a door that read **Barret Wallace, AVALANCHE Director. **Tifa thanked the robot, then walked unceremoniously into the office.

"Good morning!" she trilled, racing forward to plant a kiss on Barret's scratchy cheek. Even sitting, the hulking black man was extremely intimidating, but Tifa knew that beyond his threatening appearance was a kind man with a heart of gold.

"Dammit, Tifa," he grumbled. "How many times do I have to tell you to knock? And what the hell happened to your arms?"

"Oh, these?" Tifa glanced at the bruises on her exposed arms. "I fell down the stairs," she said with a wry smile.

Barret shook his head and took a long sip of coffee. He looked exhausted.

"Tifa, are you sure you-?"

"I'm sure." Tifa smiled to show she wasn't being a complete bitch. "I'm happy at the bar. Well, for the most part," she muttered as an afterthought.

Barret sighed. "Your skills would be great on the force, Teef. I just want you to know that the position is still open if ya want it. It's not every day you find a woman who can destroy anything with her fists. Those gloves do you justice."

"It's not every day you see a man with a gun-arm," Tifa shot back.

Barret had to give her that one. "Reeve's designin' a new model for me. This one's getting' a bit rusty." He fixed her with his dark brown gaze. "Just think about it, okay?"

"I'll keep it in mind." Tifa smiled. "Tell Marlene hello for me, okay?" She planted another kiss on his cheek, then left the office. And promptly smacked into Reeve, who was carrying the robot Cait Sith under his arm.

"Good morning, Miss Lockheart,' he said maddeningly.

"Good morning, Mr. Tuesti," Tifa retaliated. "I see Cait Sith is coming along well."

Reeve gave the cat a proud glance. "I just finished installing a self-destruct button."

"Er…great. A walking, talking cat wearing a crown that's able to blow itself up isn't conspicuous at all," Tifa said, bemused.

Reeve ignored her. "What happened to your arms?"

"Fell down the stairs," said Tifa. She grinned. "Well, have fun with your robot, Mr. Tuesti."

"I'll be sure to, Miss Lockheart. Take care of those gloves, though I doubt they'll be of any use to you falling down stairs."

Tifa made a face at him as he turned away. "Smart ass."

"I find that highly hypocritical coming from you, Miss Lockheart," said Reeve drily, looking over her shoulder back at her. He always had to have the last word. With a roll of her dark mahogany eyes, Tifa left the station and climbed into her Volvo. The drive to the floristry took only a few minutes, and Tifa spent about half an hour putting together a bouquet for Aerith. It was fortunate that she loved all flowers, otherwise it would have taken Tifa much longer. She felt guilty for not confiding in her (though she wasn't supposed to in the first place…). Once again she was grateful to the fact that it was nearly impossible to make Aerith angry.

A blonde woman rang up the price. Tifa paid, then drove back to the house and put the flowers in a vase on Aerith's bedside table. Her room was a splash of pink: pink walls, pink sheets, pink dresser, pink curtains. Tifa hated the color to the point of loathing. She didn't own a single pink article of clothing. In fact, her wadrobe consisted mainly of black.

When Aerith walked through the door, Tifa was curled up in the living room, seated in one of the armchairs with a book. This was highly unusual. With narrowed green eyes Aerith hurried up to her room, and Tifa grinned when she heard the loud squeal of "Aww!" Minutes later she came back down the stairs wearing a floaty pink sundress, having changed out of her nurse uniform.

"It was the sweetest thing," she said, folding her legs beneath her from her seat on the couch. "One of our patients woke up from a coma today- the doctors were about to lose hope. But he looked at me and said 'So this is heaven. I like it.'"

"What a line!" Tifa laughed. She leaned forward, her long brown hair brushing against her arms. "Is he cute?"

Aerith blushed. "Tifa!"

"Come on, answer the question! Is he cute or not?"

"Well…" Aerith hesitated, then seemed to shrug it off and said, "Yes. He's very cute."

"Oooh! What's his name?" Tifa cocked an eyebrow.

"Zack," Aerith said, and her voice softened ever so slightly. "Zack Fair."

Tifa sat back in her chair and regarded her best friend with interest. Aerith had never shown any interest with boys before. It wasn't that she didn't like them, she just wasn't concerned with the matter. A slow smile spread across her face. Aerith noticed this immediately and said, "What are you thinking now?"

"Oh, nothing," Tifa said in a sing-song voice.

Aerith's green eyes narrowed, but all she said was, "Promise you'll be careful at work today?"

Reflexively Tifa glanced at the clock- she still had about two hours until she had to leave for the bar. "Aren't I always?" she said with a smile.

An hour later, Aerith left for the floristry, and Tifa went to get ready for another night at the 7th Heaven.


	3. Chapter 3

_Ahhhh…running out of ideas already! I'm still open for any suggestions!_

_Thanks to my dad for unintentionally giving me a last name for Reno xD_

_All places and/or street names I make up unless otherwise specified! _

Chapter 3

The bar was packed, not to Tifa's surprise. She spent the first half hour behind the counter with Jessie, a pretty 21-year-old with straight brown hair that she normally kept in a bun or ponytail. She was another member of Deliverance, and worked at the police station with Barret during the day.

"Oh, thank goodness you're back!" she said to Tifa. "You've no idea how many guys have been asking about you." She waggled her eyebrows, then in a lower voice said, "I heard about your mission. Good job."

Tifa nodded. "Thanks." After awhile Jessie went out from behind the counter to make her rounds of the tables, armed with a rag and a bottle of cleaning solution, making small-talk with the customers. Five minutes later a tall man with piercing hazel eyes approached the bar and took a seat on one of the stools near Tifa.

"What can I get you, sir?" she asked him.

"Double martini, please, on the rocks." He flashed her a dazzling smile; he was very attractive, Tifa noticed as she slid the drink across the counter to him. She hadn't seen him before.

The man took a sip of the martini, then smiled at her again over the rim of the glass. "Were you not already serving them, I would ask if I could buy you a drink."

Tifa smiled at him as she filled a shot glass of whiskey and handed it to a man seated farther down the bar. "I would have to decline. I don't particularly like alcohol that much." Not to mention that Aerith would kill her if she ever came home drunk.

"How ironic," the man said, sipping his drink. His hazel eyes glinted with amusement. For some reason Tifa wanted to distance herself from him- she didn't like the vibe she was picking up. Something seemed…off.

_Stop it_, she told herself. _You're being paranoid. _"Would you like anything else?" she asked him.

"Oh, no, thank you." He glanced at his watch. "Oh, dear. I must get going. Have a nice evening, miss…?" He gave her a questioning glance.

She didn't know what made her say it, but she found herself answering, "Marlene."

"Marlene." That smile again. He paid for his drink, and Tifa could not shake the feeling of relief as he left the bar. A few minutes later Jessie came behind the counter, and Tifa went out to the tables. As she cleaned up a spilled tequila, a hand squeezed her right buttock, and she whirled around, an angry retort springing to her lips, to see a grinning man with red hair and aqua-colored eyes.

"Well, look who's back," said Reno Syn.

Tifa folded her arms. "Touch my ass again and watch what happens," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Aw, come on," Reno said, feigning hurt. "Is that any way to greet me?" He caught sight of her exposed arms, and his eyes widened. "What the hell happened to-?"

"Fell down the stairs," Tifa said, suppressing the urge to sigh. "Now what are you doing here?"

Reno ran a hand through his hair, looking rather subdued. "Are you still mad?"

Tifa felt all of the air rush out of her. "No, Reno," she said finally. "It's not a big deal."

He looked relieved. "Can I make it up to you?"

"If making it up means you _won't _get drunk off your ass and puke all over my car, then yes," Tifa said pointedly. Reno had the decency to look ashamed, and Tifa's voice softened. 'What, did you think I wouldn't be your friend anymore?"

"Something like that." Reno flashed her his boyish grin.

"Honestly, Reno."

"What?"

Tifa rolled her eyes, then gave him a swat with her cleaning rag. "You are such a dork, you know that?"

Reno pretended to think. "Well, seeing as how you've been telling me that for the past year or so…" He grinned again, but Tifa noticed a peculiar look in his aqua eyes. Something was different, but before she could open her mouth to inquire he said, "I gotta go- Rude's waiting outside, and I said I was just going to pop in and see if you were here. I'll call you later. Tell Aerith hi for me."

"All right," said Tifa. She aimed another swat at him with the rag, but he danced out of the way with that silly grin still on his face. Then he was gone.

Jessie popped up beside Tifa moments later. "Who was _that_?"

Tifa smiled, aware of the suggestive look Jessie was giving her, complete with raised eyebrows. "A friend," she replied.

"He was _cute_," Jessie grinned.

"He's just a friend, Jessie," Tifa repeated firmly.

"Oh! Then he's single?"

"Uhm…I guess so…?"

Jessie laughed. "Sorry, Teef. I couldn't resist. He _is _cute, though." She took the cleaning supplies, and Tifa went behind the counter again. At about ten forty-five Jessie left for the night, and Tifa stayed to handle the late-night stragglers until closing time an hour later. She made sure the bar was locked up, then went out to her car.

"Aerith, of course, was waiting up for her when she walked through the door. "Everything go all right?" she asked, delicately covering a yawn. She was dressed in her favorite pink sheath nightgown, one of the narrow straps hanging off her shoulder. The thin material shushed softly against her thighs as she stood up.

"Yep," said Tifa. "Reno dropped by. He says hi."

Aerith smiled, shaking her rich, dark brown hair loose from its long braid. "He's a real sweetheart," she said.

Tifa snorted. "Oh, yeah. Getting drunk and throwing up all over my car was really sweet of him."

"That _was _a bit immature," Aerith agreed.

"He said he'd make it up to me. As he should." Tifa rubbed her aching eyes. She really need to sleep. Aerith noticed this and gently ushered her up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Get some rest," she said. "I won't wake you up in the morning."

"You really are an angel." Tifa grinned as a pale pink blush rose in Aerith's cheeks. She blew her a kiss, then then shut her door and changed into a pair of black cotton pajama shorts and a red tank top. She paused long enough to comb out her long, dark hair, then fell into a deep- and, to her relief when she woke up in the morning, dreamless- sleep.

VVVVV

The first thing Tifa did when she had showered and dressed was check her phone. Reno had called at 10:47, saying that he was free for lunch if she felt like it. She dialed his number and waited.

He picked up on the second ring. "Tifa?"

"Mhm. You mentioned lunch?"

"Yeah. I'm heading over to Cecily's at about 12:30."

"I'll meet you there, then."

An hour later she was seated in a booth, listening to the snatches of conversation around her while she waited for Reno. Cecily's Restaurant and Café was almost always full, like the 7th Heaven on Friday and Saturday nights.

"I don't see how he could've done that…"

"Doesn't everybody know that about him?"

"That cheating bastard…I knew that he was trouble…"

"You got _engaged_? That's wonderful!"

Tifa took a slow sip of her water and lowered the glass to see Reno approaching her. Jessie was right: Reno was very attractive. He'd just walked through the door and already girls were turning their heads. She was sure one or two were undressing him with their eyes.

"Heya, Teefie," he said as he slid into the seat across from her.

Tifa made a face. "I told you not to call me that."

"Sorry.' He didn't look it. "So how did your trip go? I tried calling a few times, but you never answered."

Of course she couldn't have answered, what with being stripped of her possessions and locked up like an animal. "It was fine," she said, keeping her tone light. "Just visited a cousin. We haven't seen each other in awhile, so it was good to catch up." She felt awful for lying, but she couldn't tell him the truth. She had already stretched the rule with Aerith, and she doubted Reno would he as supportive.

"Ah, I see." Reno's aqua eyes scanned the menu as he spoke. Tifa was surprised that he hadn't memorized it by now, considering how often they came to the place. He always ordered the same thing, anyway.

A young waitress approached their booth, staring openly at Reno with thickly lashed blue eyes. "What can I get for you today?" she asked, barely giving Tifa a second glance.

Reno gave her a dazzling smile. "Salami, cheese, and fried egg on toast, please."

The waitress made a note on her pad. "Anything else?"

Tifa cleared her throat, and the waitress unwillingly tore her eyes away from Reno to look at her. "I'll have the same thing," she said.

After the waitress walked away, Tifa said, "That gets really annoying."

"Do I hear jealousy?" Reno teased.

Tifa gave him an "oh please" look. "Come on, Reno. I'm surprised you couldn't read her mind, the way she was looking at you."

"And you could?" He sounded interested.

"I might as well have. And it's not just her. Half the women in this place would let you take them right on one of the tables."

Reno grinned boyishly. "Funny how I never noticed. And that bothers you…why?"

"It's…" Tifa couldn't find the right words for what she was feeling. Reno was teasing and flirtatious by nature and didn't even seem to realize it. He unknowingly encouraged girls with his charming, easy smiles. Tifa didn't like that. She found herself worrying about how easily girls allowed themselves to be taken in by something as trivial as good looks. They should be more cautious.

Reno was gazing at her curiously, brow furrowed. She hoped her face hadn't betrayed anything. "Never mind," she said. "You're just too much of a stud for your own good." She smirked and lightly kicked his lower leg beneath the table. A few minutes later the waitress returned with their food, smiling flirtatiously at Reno before walking off.

As they ate, Tifa became increasingly aware of Reno staring at her periodically, looking away whenever she caught his blue-green eyes. She'd known him long enough to deduce that something was bothering him. He even paid for the lunch without a single gripe or sarcastic remark like he normally did. Yes. Something was definitely bothering him.

"What's up, Foxy?" she asked once they had left Cecily's. Being only 5 foot 4, she had to tilt her head back to make eye contact with him.

"Uh." He seemed to waver under the intensity of her gaze. Finally he blurted, "Tifa, I want to take you out."

Tifa stared at him, bewildered. "Please don't answer right away. But please think about it," he went on quickly. He gave her a fleeting smile, then clambered into his black Mustang and drove away, leaving her standing there gazing after him.

VVVVV

"And then he drove away," Tifa said.

Aerith sighed softly. "I'm surprised he waited so long."

"Huh?" Tifa blinked, and Aerith sighed again.

"He came to me about a month ago," she said. "He said it'd been coming on for awhile."

"So that's why he groped my ass," Tifa muttered, though she doubted that. Reno was very lax when it came to personal space. She threw herself onto the couch facedown into a pillow, suddenly exhausted. She was not looking forward to work.

"So what are you thinking, Teef?"

Tifa forced herself into a sitting position and simply stared at Aerith in silence. If there was anything she could rely on Aerith for, it was her understanding without a need for an explanation.

"I expected that." Her green eyes were compassionate, free of blame.

Tifa sighed. "Yeah."


	4. Chapter 4

_Slowly getting back on track with ideas! But if anyone has any ideas or suggestions, feel free! I might use them! :D_

_Enjoy!_

Chapter 4

_3 Days Later_

"Tifa, what do you think about this?"

Tifa blinked and looked at Aerith, who was holding up some clothes for Tifa's inspection. "I'm sorry, what?"

Aerith's brow furrowed. "Is something on your mind?"

"No…just zoned out for a second." Tifa smiled. "Now what were you saying?"

"I was asking what you thought about this." Aerith displayed a pale blue-and-white sundress, lined with rose-colored pink around the thin straps and the scooping curve of the neckline.

"That's really nice," Tifa said sincerely. "Might I inquire as to the occasion?"

Aerith gave her a beatific smile. "Zack gets discharged tomorrow."

"Oh, now I remember. Your dinner date, yeah?"

The familiar pink blush rose in Aerith's cheeks. Tifa laughed.

"You like this guy, huh?"

"Tifa, we barely know each other."

"So?" She folded her arms. "I get to meet him, right?"

"Of course," said Aerith. "I don't have to work tomorrow night, so he's coming around five o'clock."

"Good." Tifa cracked her knuckles.

"Tifa, he's not some pervert," Aerith said.

"I thought you said you barely know each other," she retaliated.

Aerith shook her head and turned back to her closet. "You can be so impossible, you know that?"

"I act out of love," Tifa replied sweetly.

"Tifa…" Aerith sat down on her pink comforter, rubbing the soft fabric of the dress between her delicate fingers. "What about you?"

"What do you mean, what about me?" Tifa raised her eyebrows, flummoxed.

Aerith sighed. "Tifa, you're lonely. Don't think I can't see that. Don't give me that look- you know I'm right."

Tifa stiffened, then forced her muscles to loosen. "Believe me, Aerith," she said, "the last thing on my mind is boys. I could seriously care less." And she meant it, at least for the most part.

VVVVV

Reno was seated in the living room when Tifa came down from her before-work shower. For a moment she stood with her back pressed against the wall after peering over the banister, breathing deeply as her stomach slowly knotted itself. She knew what she had to do.

But she really, really didn't want to.

"Hey," he said, standing up upon her entrance. He looked slightly nervous, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his ripped jeans. "Aerith let me in," he said, by means of an explanation.

Tifa nodded, not knowing what to say to that. The air seemed to spark with awkwardness. Finally Tifa couldn't stand up and opened her mouth.

"Reno-"

He held up a hand, and she fell silent abruptly. "It's okay, Teef. You don't have to say anything- I understand." His blue-green gaze avoided hers, betraying his easy tone. "Uh. Is there, uh…is there someone else?"

"No." Tifa shook her head, her slightly damp hair brushing against the skin of her arms. "Reno, please look at me," she begged, approaching him. "Please."

He obliged, and he lifted his hands to her face. His lips brushed against her forehead softly, hardly lasting for more than a second before moving away. "I'll see you later, Teefie," he said, with the faintest trace of a smile. Then he was gone, the front door clicking shut behind him.

It had gone just the way she had expected it to. "Damn it all to hell," she said, pressing her fingers to her temples. She could feel a headache coming on. Of course there had been no way to get around telling him. Reno deserved the truth. Well, at least in that particular aspect. And, above all else, he deserved someone much, much better than her.

VVVVV

The 7th Heaven was almost always packed on Friday nights. It was also when the most fights broke out, and Tifa was not surprised when two men who had had a bit too much to drink began throwing punches, knocking over their table in the process. Tifa threw down her polishing rag, stepped out from behind the counter, and pulled the two men apart by their shirt collars.

"If you're going to fight, take it outside, or I'll throw you both out myself." She glared at each of them in turn. They mumbled apologies. Tifa released them and returned to the counter as Jessie righted the overturned table and began cleaning up the shards of broken glass, as well as their former contents.

"Same old, same old," she said once she had finished, dumping the shattered glass in the waste basket below the counter. She shook out her long hair and retied it into a messy bun.

"Yep," said Tifa, polishing a mug. Jessie began serving drink orders, and after a few moments she paused.

"Hey, Teef?"

"Hm?"

"What made you decide to join Deliverance?"

Tifa was so startled that she nearly dropped the mug. "Where did that come from?" she asked, setting it down and picking up another.

"Just curiosity." Jessie looked embarrassed. "Sorry if that seemed rude."

Tifa was silent for a long moment, polishing the glass mug mechanically. She could still clearly remember, as if it were only yesterday and not a month ago…

_She walked along Schuyler St., thinking about Reno and why he had suddenly seemed so nervous to her. She wasn't aware of the tall man walking behind her, not out of place in the bustling area. He had been tailing her for the past few blocks. She had not taken her car, as the weather was beautiful, and had decided to walk the few blocks to the police station. She smiled, thinking of Reeve building that bizarre robot cat. _

_ She turned onto Crescentview Dr., her purse thumping rhythmically against her upper left thigh. The streets were slowly depopulating as the sky darkened, the scent of rain on the wind as it fluttered her long hair. Suddenly she felt a sharp tug on the strap of her purse, pulling her to the side as a hand slid over her mouth. She struggled violently- the grip on her was surprisingly strong- and froze instantly when something cool and circular pressed against the bare skin of her collar bone. Her eyes widened. _

_ "Don't move, said an oddly soft male voice. Tifa stiffened, not daring to turn around and get a glimpse of his face, though the urge was very strong. Her mind worked furiously as she struggled to remain calm; she'd get out of this. Of course she would. All she had to do was think rationally, and _not panic. _Dammit, dammit, dammit. How could you not panic? The guy had a gun!_

_ "My, you're very pretty," said the man. "I hope you're not busy tonight, baby, because I'm very, very lonely." _

_ Tifa did not move a muscle, not even when the man rubbed his crotch against her. She took deep, even breaths through her nose; her mouth was still covered by the man's gloved hand. Wait for it. Just be patient…_

_ He removed his hand finally, and Tifa swung her foot back into his shin. She had barely broken free and moved away when the gun went off, and she was spun around by the shot as it hit her shoulder like the blow of a metal bat. She fell to her knees and pressed her hand to the wound, blood seeping through her fingers while she gritted her teeth against the pain. She heard fast footsteps as the man retreated down the alley. They faded quickly, and Tifa was left alone. _

_ A few minutes passed, but it felt like an eternity. Then she heard approaching footsteps, and a man with spiky blonde hair and brilliant, shockingly blue eyes knelt beside her and said, "Don't move, I'm calling an ambulance." _

_ "No, don't," Tifa ground out between her teeth. She was beginning to feel light-headed. The man's brow furrowed as he gave her an are-you-kidding-me look, his phone in his hand. _

_ "I don't know if you've realized this yet, but you've been shot," he said in a dry tone. _

_ Tifa gave him and icy glare. "Thanks for the enlightenment. Your brilliance shocks me."_

_ The man took out what appeared to be a black bandana and leaned forward to examine Tifa's shoulder."Looks like the bullet went straight through," he observed in his low, smooth voice. He tied the bandana tightly over the wound. _

_ "Good," said Tifa. "Then I don't need the hospital."_

_ "On the contrary." The man's dazzling eyes swept over her face. Then he pressed a button on his phone and called an ambulance. _

Jessie looked at Tifa in amazement. "And that was _Cloud?_"

"Yep, though I found that out from Yufie." Tifa's tone was amused when she added, "She said no one else had hair that spiky. I had to admit I was surprised when I found out that she knew him."

"How did you hear about Deliverance?" Jessie asked.

"Yuffie. I told her what happened to me and that's when she mentioned it. I couldn't believe that Cloud was the leader."

Jessie was silent, so Tifa went on. "I told her that I would think about it. A week later I heard that a woman had been raped and shot in that same alley, and that's what clinched it for me." She put the polished mug away and rinsed her hands. "I think it's the same guy who did it," she said. "There's no way its coincidence."

"I agree." Jessie's face was serious. "Barret's keeping an eye out for any related incidents."

Tifa flexed her fingers, secretly hoping that she would be the one to settle things.

VVVVV

When Tifa arrived at the house, Aerith was once again waiting for her on the couch.

"How did things go with Reno?" she inquired.

Tifa pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "Do you really have to ask?"

"No, I suppose not." Aerith let out a small sigh. "I expected as much."

"You need to go to bed, little angel," said Tifa, not wishing to dwell upon the subject of Reno. "You don't wanna be half-dead when loverboy shows up tomorrow."

Aerith blushed. Tifa was relieved that she let Reno drop from the conversation, but she could feel her green eyes on her as she bid Aerith goodnight and headed for her bedroom.

VVVVV

"Aerith, hold still!"

"I'm sorry! I'm just so nervous!"

Tifa rolled her eyes as she finished twisting Aerith's hair into its long plait and tied a long pink ribbon around the top. "There, all done."

"Thank you." Aerith fingered the end of the braid anxiously, shooting glances at the clock so often she appeared to have a twitch. Tifa suppressed a snort of laughter at the thought.

The doorbell rang from downstairs, and Aerith let out a squeak. "He's early!" She snatched up her purse and pink wedge-heeled sandals, then darted down the stairs with Tifa close behind. But instead of opening the door, Aerith ran down the short hallway leading to the kitchen and turned left. Tifa heard a door shut and suppressed a sigh of both annoyance and amusement; true to her word, Aerith was nervous.

She turned her attention to the door and opened it. "Hi," she said to the raven-haired man standing on the top step. "You must be Zack. Aerith's in the bathroom at the moment- come on in."

Zack gave her a dazzling white grin and stepped inside. "You're Tifa, right?" he said to her once she had closed the door.

"Yep." They shook hands. He seemed nice; Tifa wasn't getting any negative thoughts off him. On the contrary, he seemed extremely cheerful. And extremely cute. Aerith words had been true yet again.

Less than ten seconds later she came out of the bathroom, the fluttery nervousness now gone. Tifa was once again amazed at how well Aerith controlled her emotions. She could be serious and serene one moment, giggly and anxious the next.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She gave Zack a beatific smile. Tifa had to hold back a snort of laughter; Aerith had this guy hook, line, and sinker, even if she didn't realize it. Zack was looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. His eyes, Tifa realized, were that same blue-green that Reno had. They seemed to glow with their vibrancy, just like Cloud's.

"All right, you two, get a move on," said Tifa. She dropped Zack a wink, her unspoken sign of approval, and he grinned.

"Right this way, madam." He opened the door an gestured beyond to his car. Aerith gave a small giggle, and moments later they were gone.

Twent minutes later, Tifa's phone went off, and she snatched it up. "Yuffie?"

"The one and only. Get down to the bar. I have a mission I think you'll be interested in."


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for all of the reviews! I hope you keep reading! :D_

Chapter 5

_1 Hour Later_

"Right. Now explain this to me again?"

Yuffie's dark eyes glinted. "A little girl was abducted two days ago off Crescentview Dr. It's been kept under wraps because her dad is a connection of ours, and we don't want to attract the wrong kind of publicity. Deliverance operates strictly under the radar, as Vincent says."

"Wait a sec. Did you say Crescentview Dr.?" Tifa felt an odd swooping sensation in her stomach.

"I know what you're thinking," Yuffie said. "That might be the case, but it would be a very strange break in the pattern."

"And where is the girl?" Jessie asked.

"A rundown building out on Glendale. The guy wants to ransom her, but the demands are way too high. So we have to take things into our own hands."

Tifa's hands balled into fists. "I'll handle it."

"Uh-uh," said Yuffie, shaking her head. "I let you go alone last time and I don't have to remind you how that went."

"I'm going with you," Jessie said to Tifa.

"All right." Tifa felt a twinge of annoyance but did not pursue the argument further. It wasn't that she didn't like Jessie. She just preferred to handle things by herself. She got things done quicker when she was on her own.

"Does Cloud know about this?" Jessie asked, a bit nervously.

Yuffie leaned in close. "It'll be our little secret."

VVVVV

The building on Glendale appeared to be on the verge of collapse. It looked completely hollowed out: the windows were lined with pieces of glass from broken panes and boarded up with rotting wooden planks. In other words, a perfect scene for a horror movie.

"Here we go," said Tifa quietly. Jessie was silent and pale beside her as they skirted the building carefully, taking each step deliberately and precisely as if they were avoiding treading on broken glass. Once at the rear they found a window leading into a basement. It was barely wide enough for Tifa to slip through, and once she was inside she said to Jessie, "Wait here. I'll find the girl."

"Tifa-" Jessie's eyes were wide.

"Is this guy is a total psycho, better one of us than both of us, okay? If shit hits the fan, at least you'll be able to get away." Tifa gave her a firm stare, and finally the younger woman nodded. Tifa gave a her a bold-faced grin, then turned away, slipping on her black leather gloves.

The basement smelled of mold, and the air was choked with dust. It was empty save for a few cardboard boxes. There was a staircase on the far wall, and Tifa tested the first step with one booted foot. It creaked slightly but held her weight, and slowly, cautiously, she began the ascent in a half crawl, like a cat.

_Let the girl be all right,_ she prayed silently, to what she did not know, but it wouldn't hurt. _Let her be okay._

The door at the top of the stairs was slightly ajar, yet she dared not push it open. She leaned forward and peered out with one eye against the inch-wide gap. A thrill went through her: the girl was curled into a ball about fifteen feet away, a stuffed Moogle doll clutched to her chest. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep and even; she was sleeping. Tifa hoped it wasn't drug induced. There was no sign of the kidnapper, but Tifa did not move for a good minute, straining her ears for any sound or indication that she wasn't alone. But all was eerily silent. Could it really be this simple? She didn't like to think so. But she wasn't going to achieve anything by waiting. If the kidnapper was gone, then she had to move quickly.

She gingerly inched the door open until she had just enough room to squeeze out, then bolted on her toes to the little girl. Tifa's heart pounded loudly in her ears as she scooped the sleeping child into her arms and. She appeared to be no more than eight years old, with dark red hair tied into long pigtails. Her pale face was peaceful in sleep.

Gripping the girl tight, Tifa edged back to the stairs and slowly descended, pausing for a second on each stair to listen before moving on. The child did not stir as Tifa finally reached the bottom and headed to the window, where Jessie's pale, frightened face greeted her.

"Oh, thank goodness," she whispered. She propped open the window and held out her arms for the girl. Tifa forced her through the opening, Jessie cradling the sleeping form while Tifa wormed her way back out. About halfway through she felt a hand seize her ankle and drag her back.

"Tifa!" Jessie exclaimed. She made to put the child aside but Tifa shook her head frantically.

"Go!" she hissed, sliding back even further. "Get out of here!"

Jessie shook her head but quailed under Tifa's hard glare. "I'll come back for you," she promised, then disappeared with the child gripped tightly in her arms.

There was a hard tug on her ankle, an Tifa slid back through the window and landed on the cold stone floor. Pain lanced through her stomach and arms. She thrashed wildly, and she felt the grip on her ankle slacken. Then her attacker threw their weight onto her, expelling the air from her lungs as it pressed against her stomach.

"Hello, Marlene," said a familiar voice, just as a rag was pressed over her mouth and nose. Tifa struggled as she felt her vision begin to fade, then a moment later everything went black. Dammit.

VVVVV

Someone was carrying her. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like two-ton weights, so she gave up the effort. What was going on? Was the child safe? Of course she was, Jessie had her…

"Burn it down," came a faraway, muffled voice. Her ears felt like they had been stuffed with cotton wool. Why couldn't she open her eyes? Was she dying? No, of course not. Enough thinking, she was too tired…

The last thing she registered before the blackness overtook her once more was a loud whooshing noise, and the sound of someone saying her name.

VVVVV

"He was trying to move her when I got back with Cloud…I'm so glad I got there in time."

"You and me both. Still, it's been awhile since I've seen him so angry…It's Zack all over again…"

Upon hearing the voices Tifa forced her eyes open. The faces of Yuffie and Jessie swam into view, their expressions tight, concerned. A bolt of clarity shot through her.

"Damn it all to hell," she groaned. Her mouth felt dry.

Yuffie moved closer. "About time! I was gonna dump some water on you if you were out much longer.

"Is the girl okay?" Tifa forced herself into a sitting position, then promptly fell back onto what felt like a pile of pillows, head spinning with a sickening rush of vertigo.

"She's fine," said Jessie. Her face was pale as she let out a shaky breath. "She's sleeping off the drugs."

So Tifa's worst thought had been correct. "What about the man?"

"Taken care of," Yuffie said.

"And Cloud?"

"Pissed to high heaven," came a third voice, gruff and scratchy. Tifa looked over to see a man standing in the doorway. He appeared to be in his late thirties to early forties, with short blonde hair and a toothpick clenched between his teeth.

"Tifa, this is Cid," said Jessie.

"Don't know what the hell ya'll were thinkin', doin' that," said Cid.

At this Tifa sat up again, pushing aside the nausea. "Did you expect us to just leave a little girl with a psycho?" she said angrily.

"Cloud's not the only one with connections," muttered Yuffie, loud enough for Tifa and Jessie to hear.

Cid shrugged. "I ain't sayin' nothin.' Anyway, Cloud wants to see you," he said. His blue eyes rested on Tifa. She got to her feet very carefully, head throbbing in protest, and followed Cid out of the room.

"Where are we?" she asked Cid.

"Deliverance HQ," he replied in his gruff voice. "Used to be abandoned but we fixed it up all right. Been usin' it for about a year now. Right in here, Tifa." He gestured to a closed door, and Tifa felt an odd rush of anticlimax as she opened it and stepped inside.

The room was completely empty, the walls barren except for a single window opposite the door. Cloud leaned against it, peering out as if lost in thought, dressed in a white button-up shirt open at the neck, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and ripped jeans. A silver earring in the shape of a lion glinted in his left ear.

"You asked for me?" said Tifa in a cool voice.

He looked at her with those shockingly blue eyes. They seemed to X-ray her as he said, very calmly, "Did you know that the man who sprayed you with chloroform is a prison escapee and highly convicted of over twenty murders? All of young women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five?"

Tifa felt a shiver trail down her spine and struggled to keep her expression neutral. "No," she answered. "Though it wouldn't have changed anything even if I had."

Cloud looked at her, a mixture of curiosity and annoyance flicking over his face. "Are you always this stupid?"

"Excuse me?" Tifa was outraged. "Since when was saving an eight-year-old child from a psychopath an act of stupidity?"

"Not only did you endanger yourself, you endangered the life of another," Cloud said in a hard voice. "This is not a group of reckless thrill-seekers, Tifa. We do what we believe is necessary, what's right."

"So abandoning a helpless child is necessary?" Tifa's hands were clenched into fists: she had the strong desire to hit something.

"I'm not saying we would not have helped that girl," Cloud said. "But you had no right to undertake that by yourself. You had no idea of that man's capabilities. You didn't know who he was, what he'd done. Saving that girl wasn't a mission for a single person to carry out. Do you realize that he had a gun on him?" Cloud's brilliant eyes were hard. "He could have shot you on sight."

"Cloud, let it go," came a low, slightly raspy voice. Tifa whirled around to see a man standing in the doorway behind her. He was thin and tall, about 6 feet, with deep red eyes. His long black hair hung over his face, contrasting sharply with his pale skin. His appearance suggested a mild frailty.

Tifa turned back to Cloud, struggling to keep her temper in check. "If that's all," she said coldly, "I'm leaving."

He opened his mouth but Tifa turned away; she didn't need any more reprimanding. Once outside the room she drove her still-gloved fist into the wall with a surge of anger. Pain lanced through her knuckles. Then she turned and saw that the pale man was standing behind her, red eyes trained on her face.

"It's dark out," he said in his low voice. "I think it would be best if I drove you home."

Tifa met his gaze. "My car is back at the 7th Heaven. Could you drop me off there?"

"Certainly." He inclined his head slightly.

"Always the gentleman, Vincent," came Yuffie's teasing voice.

The ghost of a smile flickered across Vincent's lips. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him, and it hit Tifa with a jolt: _She likes him. _She felt a bit of her anger ebb at the realization, and vowed to interrogate Yuffie later.

Vincent led her down a flight of stairs to the front door and out to a sleek, cherry red Cadillac. "Excuse Cloud," he said as they drove down the street. "He's been very edgy ever since another member of Deliverance was severely injured on assignment."

"I see." Tifa studied his face. He had faint purplish smudges beneath his eyes, giving them a slightly hollow, sunken look. But Tifa had to admit that he was attractive, albeit the somber and stoic type. Bubbly, cheerful Yuffie was a startling contrast.

A minute or two later Vincent pulled into the parking lot in front of the 7th Heaven. Tifa thanked him. Withdrawing her keys as she slipped out of the Cadillac and into her Volvo, and watched him drive off into the darkness before she too headed for home.


End file.
